Study: Neglecting Security Opens Doors For PIM

A survey conducted by Lieberman Softtware indicates that as many as 80 percent of employees regularly ignore security policies and directives, even if issued from executive management. No surprises there, but it does open doors for a few highly specialized differentiators, including privileged identity management, that represent a profitable alternative to commoditizing IAM solutions.

It probably comes as no big surprise that employees regularly override, neglect and sometimes downright ignore security directives. Let’s face it, cumbersome rules often get in the way of performing job functions effectively and efficiently.

But a recent survey conducted by Lieberman Software underscores that fact further. The biggest finding, according to the survey, was that more than 80 percent of IT security professionals claim that employees deliberately ignore security rules and policies imposed by IT departments. And that, in turn, sets the stage for new and highly specialized solutions that allow partners to build out portfolios with solutions that force employees to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to security.

Additionally, the study, which examined almost 250 IT security professionals, discovered that more than half of those surveyed thought that workers who deliberately ignore IT security directives wouldn’t even listen if the security mandates were issued by the CEO or executive management.

“These figures highlight the fact that most end-users are still not taking IT security seriously and are unnecessarily putting corporate data – and potentially customer information – at risk,” said Phillip Lieberman, CEO of Lieberman Software. “And these behaviors are continuing even after it has been proven that human error is the leading cause of data breaches. Organizations need to implement better cyber security training that properly instructs staff about the consequences of data breaches.”

The findings come as little shock, as it’s long been established that employees routinely step around security policies, especially if they interfere with conducting necessary job functions.

But what Lieberman Software hoped to demonstrate was that organizations, and subsequently the channel, will consistently require some kind of alternative solution that not only prevents users from circumventing security, but compels adherence.

Lieberman pointed to its own flagship privileged identity management (PIM) solution as a viable answer. Privileged Identity Management is a niche of identity management that focuses on powerful accounts within an organization’s IT infrastructure.

And while receiving little media attention, the PIM market is projected to undergo significant growth, largely driven by a groundswell of new and enforceable compliance regulations. A TechNavio report predicts that the PIM market will likely grow at a CAGR of 24.1 between 2010 and 2014. And the solution will likely gain more traction as organizations aim to meet increasingly stringent compliance requirements amid complexity created by cloud, virtualization and mobility platforms.

That bodes well for the channel seeking to differentiate with offerings that elicit higher margin opportunities within the identity and access management (IAM) sphere. While still a relevant and growing market, IAM has experienced a slowdown over the last few years as solutions have become standard issue. TechNavio estimates that overall, IAM growth will be relegated to the single digits – namely 8.2 percent – between 2011 and 2015.

Privileged identity management gives partners another chance at adding on a few new differentiators to their portfolio that will ultimately generate profitable niches and breathe new life into a market teetering on stagnation.